A survey of eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum, Viscaceae) occurrence in infested trees and shrubs within the city limits of Berea, Kentucky, was conducted from February to April 2007. Phoradendron leucarpum was found in 2320 host plants among 21 trees species (two introduced exotics, one hybrid, 18 native) and one naturalized shrub. The predominate host tree observed in Berea was Prunus serotina with 920 trees followed by Juglans nigra with 534 trees, Acer saccharinum with 257 trees, and Ulmus americana with 187 trees. Eight new eastern mistletoe-infested hosts documented for Kentucky were Betula populifolia, Crataegus × lavallei, Lonicera maackii, Prunus munsoniana, Pyrus calleryana, Quercus imbricaria, Q. palustris, and Ulmus pumila. Five of these host plants, Betula populifolia, Crataegus × lavallei, Lonicera maackii, Prunus munsoniana, and Pyrus calleryana, were new host records within the continental United States. Berea had the highest incidence of eastern mistletoe and the greatest number of host species for any city of its size in Kentucky.

Oral Tolerance is the temporary loss of systemic immunological responsiveness to a specific soluble antigen after ingestion of that antigen. Results from our lab and others indicated that CTLA-4 and lack of IL-12 played a role in the induction of low dose oral tolerance at the Th1 cell level. Previous literature suggested that IL-18 also played a role in preventing oral tolerance induction while the cytokine IL-10 had been shown to be a factor contributing to suppressed immune responses. To determine the role of CTLA-4 in conjunction with either IL-18 or IL-10 in low dose oral tolerance induction, anti-CTLA-4 mAb and either IL-18 or anti-IL-10 mAb were administered concurrently to mice fed either ovalbumin (OVA) or water. Results showed that the PLN cell proliferation of mice treated with anti-CTLA-4 mAb and IL-18 remained significantly suppressed compared with water-fed controls, while a partial abrogation of suppressed IL-4 and IFN-γ levels were observed. In contrast, mice treated with anti-CTLA-4 mAb and anti-IL-10 mAb exhibited a reversal of PLN cell proliferation and IL-4 suppression; however, IFN-γ levels remained suppressed. Results suggest that IL-10, IL-18 and CTLA-4 play roles in the induction of oral tolerance at the cell proliferation and cytokine level.

Our study sought to answer two questions: what is the status of safety in Kentucky school science programs, and can pragmatic tools be developed to address identified science safety needs? Between the spring of 2003 and the fall of 2004, state agency representatives worked with science safety researchers to assess the status of science safety in Kentucky schools and then create the Total Science Safety System CD-Kentucky Edition that contained all applicable federal and state laws, codes, and professional standards. In addition the CD included safety audits, chemical databases, safety videos, and strategic weblinks. This report concentrates on findings about science laboratory safety at the secondary level gathered from teacher surveys representing approximately 54 Kentucky school districts. Among the most significant findings was that teachers from the participating schools did not know or consistently observe many standard safety procedures. Furthermore, most participating science teachers generally were not aware of applicable science safety laws, codes, and standards.

An examination of leaf beetle specimens (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the five largest beetle collections in Kentucky, recent inventory work in state nature preserves, and a review of the literature revealed four species of the subfamily Donaciinae and eleven species of Criocerinae present in Kentucky, six of which are new state records. Distribution maps and label data are presented for fifteen Kentucky species of the subfamilies Donaciinae and Criocerinae, including spatial (state and Kentucky county records), temporal (years and months of collection in Kentucky), and plant association information. The following species are reported from Kentucky for the first time: Donacia limonia Schaeffer, Crioceris duodecimpunctata (Linnaeus), Neolema cordata White, N. ovalis White, Oulema collaris (Say), and O. sayi (Crotch).

We investigated differences in habitat characteristics, mammal richness, and mammal activity among three stream types: channelized, unchannelized, and restored. Riparian plant species richness was significantly higher at the unchannelized stream than at the other two streams. The Kentucky Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment Index was highest at the unchannelized stream and much lower at the restored stream than the other two streams. Small mammal activity did not differ among stream types. Richness of terrestrial mammals, as determined by motion-sensitive cameras, did not differ significantly among streams. Track plot surveys showed, however, that unchannelized and restored streams had significantly higher terrestrial mammal species richness than the channelized stream. Likewise, track transect surveys conducted in snow, showed that species richness at the unchannelized stream was significantly higher than the channelized stream. There was some indication that bat activity was affected by an interaction between month and stream type. Results suggested that channelization and restoration affect habitat characteristics, mammal richness, and mammal activity; however, restored streams have potential to recover many of the characteristics of an unchannelized stream.

As the fourth over a span of about 40 years, this study further characterizes the human sex ratio of families of students enrolled at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY. Student respondents provided data on the parental, present, and projected generations. Survey results permitted calculations of average family sizes and sex ratios that were used in comparisons with results of the previous studies. Average numbers of children were 4.04, 2.58, and 2.45, and secondary sex ratios (males∶100 females) were 102, 108, and 141; respectively, for the parental, present, and projected generations. Average family size decreased progressively during the period of study. Secondary sex ratios ranged from 97 to 108 males∶100 females. Gender composition of the first two and three children influenced parities in two ways, namely preference for both genders and preference for males. Results of the present and previous studies indicated that the most desired families consisted of two children, both genders, and the male born first. Realization of this preference would contribute toward a balanced sex ratio. Other preferences included more male than female children. Overall, sex ratios for desired families in the four studies ranged from 133 to 141 males∶100 females.

Eukaryotic genes possess introns that must be spliced out following transcription. The origin of introns remains an unanswered question, one that is characterized by two different views: either they are ancient and generally undergoing loss or they are the result of more recent gain. We studied the intron organization of the fibrillarin gene from the sequenced genomes of twenty-five species representing all four eukaryotic kingdoms. Results showed that more complex, multicellular species had generally larger numbers and lengths of introns. Twenty-two different intron positions were used by the 127 introns found collectively in the fibrillarin genes from the twenty-five species. Several of these were shared in species across multiple kingdoms, a finding that was interpreted to indicate that these introns were present in early eukaryotic ancestors, as predicted by the introns-early model. In the ten deuterostome species examined, the fibrillarin introns showed a high level of evolutionary conservation, and the variations that did exist were best explained by four independent intron losses and no intron gain. The fungi as a group, however, showed much greater variation in the fibrillarin intron patterns, a result consistent with extensive intron loss, more recent intron gain, or a combination of both.